


[c]atching lights

by fableknot



Series: Name and Night [3]
Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Multi, One Shot Collection, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 15:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11016465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fableknot/pseuds/fableknot
Summary: Where moments with you were the brightest.





	1. Izar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Presenting a miscellaneous collection of short stories that take place at various points of the series, Name and Night, arranged in order of occurrence. I'm terrible at titles. It is highly recommended that you read "[What Lies Above](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10698153)" and "[Remember Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10907835%22)" before proceeding.

"Time."

Number 2 tossed her hair back, feeling her face burn from reaching her maximum operating temperature. "How were the results?" she said, her chest heaving from exertion.

The researcher looked up from his computer. "Excellent work as always. That will be all for today."

She nodded, eager to slip out of her suit and settle back into bed. When she left the testing block, Number 9 wasted no time stepping into place beside her. In any other situation, she would try to shoo him off but at the moment, she couldn't be bothered to.

"Number 2," he said, shaking his head, "you're really something else."

"Do you need something?" she asked.

"Not particularly," he answered. "Can't we just hang out?"

She blinked. "For what purpose?"

"Well," he shrugged, "because I enjoy your company, for one."

"That still sounds like a waste of my time," she said, matter-of-fact.

Number 9 frowned. "Hey, remember what Zinnia said? 'Communication between androids is of utmost importance,' or something like that."

She sighed. Ever since they'd been introduced, it was almost as if Number 9 had formed an immediate attachment to her. Number 2 had to admit she had been quite taken with him as well, with his bright blue eyes and delicate features, but her interest had swiftly faded once he made a point to follow her around.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. "Together again?" Number 4 said as she passed them by.

Number 2 kept her eyes trained forward. "Just a coincidence."

Number 9 looked dismayed at that, but then his attention was caught by a door. He tugged on her sleeve, his eyes glittering with impish delight. "Can I show you something?"

She raised a brow. For their whole lives, they've resided on the orbital base known as the Lab. Although the place was massive, she felt she had already seen everything there was to see. Besides, she wasn't too keen on the mischief those eyes promised.

Number 9, seemingly sensing her thoughts, released her and offered his hand. "Trust me."

She stared. The corridor had grown empty, and Number 9 stood before the window, the stars bright behind him. Something soft fluttered in her chest. She didn't know what possessed her at that moment, but she took it.

Number 9 smiled, startling Number 2 by leaving her wanting and breathless, and closed his hand around hers. He pulled her back down the corridor, where his eyes had strayed, whisked her inside a dark room. With his other hand, he reached for the glowing keypad.

"This is one of the testing blocks," Number 2 said. 

"You've got it."

"You know this isn't allowed," she continued. If they weren't on the schedule, the researchers didn't want their subjects anywhere near them.

Yet Number 9 looked unconcerned. "This room is special. The walls are overlaid with a holographic interface, which means that I can do _this_."

Another door slid open, cutting a shaft of light into the darkness. Number 2 hid behind him, nervous of what she might find. She imagined Zinnia or another researcher, scolding them for sticking their noses where they didn't belong, but instead found herself looking out into a vast landscape of rolling, green hills. Wild flowers before the door rustled gently in the breeze, sending little white sparks into the night sky.

"Is this Earth?" she asked, her expression in awe.

"Close enough," Number 9 said, his smile widening at her response. "Come on."

They sped down the glade, hand in hand, basking in the glow of Lunar Tears and the moon. An irresistible thrill was mounting in her veins, until she burst into a fit of giggles. He pulled her into his embrace, his laughter just as honeyed and infectious, and the two of them tumbled down a hill.

"Can you imagine?" he said, his breath warm on her cheek. "The wind threading your hair, blood rushing through your veins? What it must be like to have the whole world at your feet?"

Number 2 studied his face. In the space between seconds, she had forgotten who she was, who they were. This was theirs alone. Her chest swelled with some unknown emotion, a secret she would never tell, before she hurried it away.

"This is just like a dream," she said.

"A dream?" He leaned his forehead against hers. "I suppose you're right. After all," he gave her another one of his breathtaking smiles, "dreams have to end."

—

Number 2 was on her knees as she watched Number 9's lifeblood spill out around her. The lights in the room flashed intermittently, warning the inhabitants of the satellite to evacuate, but she remained exactly where she was. Pain, deeper than the bruises and cuts on her skin, crept into her lungs with every breath.

It was her fault. If she had paid more attention, if she hadn't brushed off the unease she felt, she could have stopped him. The androids he was about to bring to the world wouldn't have to suffer, and everyone would still be alive. _They will never be forgiven,_ she thought, echoing the words she had said moments before. _Never._

She looked up at a nearby computer. It may be too late for them, but she couldn't let him win.

If Number 9 could transmit a program to the moon server, she might be able to send a message of her own. She didn't have the same technical know-how as him. Creating a virus or stopping the program directly was, unfortunately, out of the question. Still, it was better than nothing.

She held a hand to the wound on her chest, where Number 9 had stabbed her amidst the chaos, and exhaled. Because of the fire, the satellite could no longer support its artificial gravity setting. The bodies of Number 21, Number 4, and Zinnia floated above her, as if waiting to see what she would do.

With a kick of her feet, she propelled through the air and hunched over the keyboard. There were so many things she could say, but which one of them was right? Would anyone believe her? Time was slipping between her fingers, and she could only think of one possibility: Her last memories.

Where could she put that information? Who could she trust? Her personality core? She didn't know when those memories would activate, if they would at all, but she hoped whoever received them would take action when they did.

A few seconds later, the computer notified her that her message was sent. Her lips cracked into a smile. Although it wasn't enough, she had done her best.

The fire was drawing closer now. After pulling out the wire she’d placed in her access port, she drifted over to Number 9 and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm feeling a little tired," she said as her eyes fluttered shut. "Will you show me another dream?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listening to Denée Benton's "[No One Else](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG-dFZdXfMU)" from _Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812_. After much debate, I decided to call the Number 2 and Number 9 from the NieR Music Concert: The Memories of Puppets and NieR: Automata novel "A Short Story" as Prototype Number 2 and Number 9. | This story was last updated on August 7, 2018.


	2. Izar

Pod 006 tended to 10H from the side of the bed. It must have been the eighty-seventh time she tried to escape. They had never once forgotten to wipe her memory, but she was getting smart about it. What would usually take her days to discover the truth took mere hours. They found it draining enough as it was.

"Why couldn't you have let the sleeping dogs lie?" 006 said, as they patted her head.

She slept rather peacefully. Her eyelids were furled shut, shadowing her cheeks with its thick lashes, and her hands were relaxed at her sides, cradled by the cushion of the bed. It was a far cry from the android who screamed bloody murder at the pod's face and clawed at the valve to the entrance room until their fingers were nothing more than burnt crisps.

 _Speaking of which._ 006 looked down at the shower of sparks flying from the joint of their arm. She had broken it trying to escape them. Pods weren't programmed to feel pain, but having any injury was troublesome. They would have to ask her to repair it.

One of their bodies approached. "Should we wake her?"

They posed questions to each other, even when they already knew the answer. Perhaps it was a way to keep them sane.

"Not yet. I would think she deserves to rest for a little while longer."

—

"A penny for your thoughts?"

10H and 006 had just completed their rounds around the base. They were now deep in the throes of another game of chess. She was about to take a pawn when she suddenly paused, her eyes clouded dark with obscurity.

The pod stared, a growing sense of nervousness creeping up on them. 10H didn't always play with a full deck, but idle hands were the devil’s tools. They wouldn't have had to worry if the researchers had found a way to remove the YoRHa units' capacity to question or feel. Sometimes 006 would wonder whether the machine cores they used were as complex as the researchers claimed or someone had taken pity on their creations and lied about being able to do something about it.

"Pod," she asked, sending shivers along the back of 006's exterior. "Have you ever been to the surface?"

"Query: What are you getting at?"

10H wobbled the pawn around with her finger. "I'm just curious."

"Refusal: There is no point to asking, then."

10H pouted. "That's not true. It's natural to want to learn more about each other and satisfy one's curiosity. Isn't it the lower the number a pod has, the wiser they are?"

The pod bent their head and fiddled with their own chess piece. "I don't know what it's like," they said quietly. "I've never been to the surface, same as you." The closest thing they had was the information they were given, of a species and a time that was long gone.

006 perked. "But I do know that today's lucky number is two. Which means..." They picked up the queen and brought the piece forward by two spaces, capturing their opponent's king.

"Hey, it was still my turn," 10H protested.

"Refusal: All's fair in love and war."

10H slammed her hands on the table. "Oh, no. You can't cheat your way out with a human expression this time. _Especially_ not with a lame one at that." She took her queen and dashed it around the board before swiping back the king. For the next hour, they argued over who had won the game.

—

006 couldn't relaxed until 10H settled into bed. Besides her prodding them with questions about the world outside and their scars left over from previous attempts at escape, the day had been surprisingly uneventful. The pod considered it a blessing.

While 006 verified that 10H was in sleep mode, they overheard a conversation they were having in the hall.

"She tries so hard, doesn't she?"

"The poor dear."

They regarded 10H, whose expression was as tranquil as the moon. Even though 006 was fully capable of handling the servers on their own, they had fiercely advocated for the assignment of their own YoRHa unit. Despite everything, they didn't regret it.

Once they left the room, they were notified of a new message in their inbox. How odd. Command rarely felt the need to contact them, so the matter must be urgent. They looked over the order—and froze.

_Proceed to the final stage of Project YoRHa. Commence elimination of support assignment._

All activity in the station had ceased. A wave of panic crashed over them. It was irrational. From the beginning, they knew this day would come. She couldn't stay forever.

 _But they needed her_.

Yes. _Yes,_ that's right. They needed her. They couldn't eliminate her yet. It would take some time before the next generation of androids were built. Someone had to be there in the meantime. If the others managed to find out... well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Pod 006 looked at 10H one last time before they set off to start another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An attempt at a different perspective. Check out [10H](http://firesanctuary.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/img_4445.jpg) from the NieR: Automata novel "[A Short Story](https://theark.wiki/w/A_Short_Story)," a copy of which was uploaded by Rekka. | This story was last updated on June 13, 2018.


	3. Keid

Anemone held her gun upright as she leaned into the shadows, a shaky finger resting on the trigger. She was filthy, her clothes dusted with dirt and cobwebs. Gunfire illuminated her surroundings in irregular bursts of light.

She had been trapped underground for hours. After Devola and Popula left for the Tower, Anemone led the Resistance against the machines who had gone berserk. She had taken her best units after a monster-type that escaped their forces, down to the recesses of a cave, but found dozens of red-eyed machines lying in wait.

She rolled to the side as a sphere came hurtling toward her and wedged her back up against the wall. Her breath was trickling out of her, exhaustion weighing in her legs like shackles. How long would she be able to keep this up? Her teammates were dead, her radio was destroyed. She would be soon to join them, unless she could lure the machines away from the entrance.

She closed her eyes, trying to bring order to her chaotic thoughts. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? To fight until the war would bring about her own end. Why was she looking for escape?

She roused herself as a strange calm come over her. The crack of enemy fire, the advancing march of the machines—everything seemed to fade into the background. She stepped out and held the trigger. The machines lined their barrels into place, the light of their laser sights piercing her through the darkness.

_It's almost as though you're completely empty inside._

She skirted around the spheres they sent after her, throwing away her cloak when it caught on a lethal surface.

_You have to be able to remember something.  
_

Her hair tumbled from atop her head. Bullets scrapped her arms, her cheeks, but she plodded ahead, undeterred.

_Are you afraid of dying?_

White hot pain knifed into her thigh. She fell to her knee, crying out as she felt the coating of her skin give way. Machines began to pile over her, preferring to take her apart for themselves, biting violently into the metal that made up her synthetic flesh. She kicked. She clawed. She fought, even as they tore the rest of her limbs from her, until she was nothing at all.

—

"Anemone?"

She woke. A voice, soft and quiet, came through to her. The impossible weight in her chest lifted as she wondered whether she was about to fulfill her promise.

"Don't try to move," they said, gently pushing her back down. "You're lucky we were able to get you to the Resistance camp in time."

 _The Resistance camp?_ Snow was falling outside the window. She attempted to get up again but winced.

They made a disapproving noise with their tongue. "I warned you." There was a flutter of movement and a whisper at the door. "She's awake, but she's definitely going to be out of commission for a while. Someone's going to have to replace her."

She barked a laugh that sounded crazed to her ears. _Nope,_ she thought. _Still alive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bleh, not the best, but I had to get myself to write _something_. While A2 deals with survivor guilt by lashing out, I think Anemone copes in different way. | This story was last updated on February 17, 2018.


	4. Acrab

A2 trudged beneath the shade of the forest. Even though they were in the midst of autumn, and the area had only recently recovered from the cooling effects of the Tower, the heat was as stifling as ever. The ground, twisted with the roots of the wood, wavered beneath the humidity. It was almost enough to make her unsteady. But just as the sun remained in the sky, her resolve remained the same.

She descended down a slope and paused for a dove to alight on her shoulder. She hadn't meant to take the creature along, but no matter how many times she tried to ward it away, it persisted. It grew on her, perhaps, like Pod 042 had to her.

A2 clapped a hand to her forehead and sighed. It wouldn't do good to dwell on such memories. Some of 2B still lingered, screwing with her thoughts. Waking up had been... an adjustment.

Every day, she had to remind herself that they would be better off without her. Maybe she was being an idiot, but she couldn't imagine fitting in, or dealing with any more heartbreak if they—

_Died._

Her body tensed, something like bile rising in her throat. Her foot had been caught under a piece of metal hidden in the dirt. She was shaking, struggling to process what was right in front of her.

It was 042.

"What the hell?" she said, stumbling back.

The shell of his body was there, but there had to be hundreds of other pods out there. Even if it were him, he had to have had two more bodies available to occupy. She couldn't let herself assume.

She cast a frantic glance at her surroundings, a horrible yet familiar feeling coursing through her circuits, setting a fire that burned to her fingertips. But the worst part had been the memories. It had been so long, so many lifetimes ago, yet they never failed to come. They penetrated her mindspace like a virus, disrupting her processes and threatening to overtake her.

"Not now," she said through her teeth.

She closed her eyes to distance herself from this moment. Reaching toward the recesses of her mind, she clung to the people who reminded her of who she was. She thought of Rose, who wanted to give her a name of her own. She thought of Anemone, who was a survivor just like herself. She thought of Number 4, who had told her to live on.

When she opened eyes again, she thought of only one thing: Revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just practice for perspective. Boy, it is a _challenge_ not to say they have blood. | This story was last updated on March 4, 2018.


	5. Adhara

9S was in an awkward predicament.

After the dust had settled and everyone went on their separate paths, he and 2B were free to resume their travels. Now one would think that after all they'd been through, they would be comfortable enough to consider each other as something more than friends. However...

The two of them sat together in a field, where unkempt grass dipped and swayed towards the distant horizon, while the clouds drifted lazily across the sky. The pods were having a conversation some ways away, occasionally sneaking glances at their support assignments.

But despite how picturesque the image may seem, a sort of tension lingered between the pair. The air was so brittle that it could snap. For some reason, 9S couldn't bring himself to say a word. It was then he thought that their relationship may actually be more strained than ever before.

As though he needed to break the tension somehow, 9S stretched his arms above his head and fell back against the dirt. He studied the profile of 2B's back with a discreet glance, although it was obvious he could take away nothing at this angle. At the moment, she felt as far and distant as the stars.

Which wasn't an issue, he reminded himself. So she had gotten better at reigning in her emotions, which made her a little hard to read sometimes. Who cared that the tables were turned for a while? They could take things at their own pace.

"What are we doing today?" 2B asked, startling him.

"Hmm." 9S closed his eyes in thought. "We could go to a place called the Blue Pond. I also heard about these falls that come from the spring water of a volcano." He felt genuine excitement at the idea. "Do you think we might be able to see an outpouring of lava—"

"No."

9S looked at her. "What?"

"It sounds too dangerous."

They were both standing now.

"Is it because of the lava?" 9S asked, more than a little miffed.

"Yes, actually," 2B said. "You're not getting hurt."

9S made a sound of exasperation. "I thought we went over this." He held up a hand, counting the numerous instances he was put in danger. "I came with you to the temple," he said. "I traveled all the way to the moon by myself."

2B responded in kind. "I thought it would be safer if you accompanied me," she explained, with a tick of a finger. "I was furious so I didn't say anything when you had recklessly volunteered yourself."

9S moved so that they were no more than an inch apart. There was one thing he had to set straight. "I am not your little brother," he said defiantly. "Or some kid for you to fuss over."

2B searched his face and just like that, something had changed. Her lips curved in a slow smile. "You're right," she said.

9S jumped back a step. Suddenly, he felt very uneasy.

"I am?" he said.

She shook her head. Every movement she made seemed deliberately casual. "You're not any of those things. But if that's the case," she caught his wrist and pulled him closer, "what are you?"

He sucked in a breath. She was teasing him, he realized. He wasn't used to her acting so bold. It was strange to see this side of her. Perhaps he was the one who was keeping their relationship from progressing.

2B's free hand had wound its way to the small of his back. She was intoxicating. 9S was helpless when she finally leaned forward and captured his lips. The world spun as their mouths pressed hotly together. He was acutely aware of everywhere she touched, while he smoothed his hands down her lithe muscles and curves.

They fell to the ground in a tangled heap. Their breaths were harsh and ragged as they lay there.

"That was... unexpected," 2B said, red-faced. He was surprised to find she was still rather shy, even if that was the 2B he was more familiar with.

"Yeah." He gave her a lopsided smile. "But not exactly unwelcome."

"The waterfall, it is," she said, somewhat collectedly.

"Great," he replied. 

They might actually enjoy taking things at their own pace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess I'm in a romantic mood. | This story was last updated on March 15, 2018.


	6. Veritate

10H hugged her knees to her chest, relishing the sand between her toes and the waves crashing against the shore. She closed her eyes, letting the wind messy her hair.

The sea was nothing at all like she expected. She envisioned the moon base swallowed in its dirty and untamed depths. Compared to the pictures Pod 006 had shown her, the sea was absolutely hideous. _Why would anyone want to fight over this planet anymore?_ she mused. White-coated rooms flashed in her mind, and she thought she might be able to see why any human would want to return to Earth. Here, there were no walls, no boundaries. On the moon, nothing ever changed.

She smacked her lips under the intense heat of the sun, tasting the salt in the air. She never thought she would have experienced this. Right down to her dying breath, she had believed that the moon base would be her tomb. The other androids had taught her all that they knew, until she decided to experience the world on her own.

She drew an aimless line in the sand. While it was nice that a bunch of strangers had been jumped in to help, it hurt all the more knowing that her only companion on the moon chose to lie to her. She hadn't even had the time to process their betrayal, so sharp and bitter at the back of her throat. And yet, despite the resentment she felt, she wished she could have shared her days on Earth with her pod.

She recalled their final moments. Their voice, fierce and pleading, as they battered against the door. Why had they told 2B and 9S the truth? Had they known they wouldn't survive their encounter? Had they secretly wished to break free of this cycle?

The moon base may no longer be around, but there were others involved. For all the truths they kept, 006 was just another piece on the board. Memories of the blueprints haunted at the back of her mind. 10H may have been nothing more than a fool in their conspiracy, but even she knew that the war was far from over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s pretty short, but I really wanted to write something that had to do with 10H. I actually have no idea if I want her to have this whole plot—like with 9S, 2B and A2—since she was originally supposed to die. | This story was last updated on December 4, 2017.


	7. Vega

A2 was being watched.

At first she thought nothing of it. She always felt the eyes of animals, machines, on her wherever she went. But the feeling lingered for longer than it should, and the sound was noticeably strange. It wasn't as light as an animal's, or as heavy as a machine's.

Which meant that another android was watching her.

In the space of a second, she whipped her sword from behind her back. He stopped just before the point found its way into his chest. Black hair, black clothes. He was a Scanner, judging by his similar appearance to 9S.

"Hi," he said, flashing her a nervous grin. "Uh, A2?"

She shared a look with the dove on her shoulder. "Who are you?" she demanded. "How do you know my name?"

"I would think anyone would know your name after you betrayed Command," he said, remarkably calm. "That, and the whole humans-are-actually-extinct-and-the-pods-were-running-the-show-all-along conspiracy that happened a while back." When she pressed hard, he answered, "YoRHa unit 4S."

“4… S.” Her muscles tightened, her jaw clenched. She was bound to come across that personality core again sometime. To Command, there was no one they couldn't easily replace.

She inspected him. So he was from YoRHa. Although it was obvious from the uniform, it was hard to believe that any of them were actually around. Barring 2B, 9S, 10H, and herself, of course. "How did you escape the logic virus?"

"I was dormant." He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Hey, I'm just as surprised as you that I managed to escape. I told Nines the same thing."

"Nines? 9S?" Her sword wavered at the mention. "You know him?"

"He helped me with a mission once, but I haven't seen him since the fall of the tower."

She narrowed her eyes. "Let's say I believe you. How are you still here? I heard that all other YoRHa units were supposed to be destroyed."

"Where did you hear that?" She dug her sword in deeper, reminding him of who was asking the questions. "I gave out a false reading." He shrugged a shoulder. "So did a couple others. Can you ease up on the sword? I think you might have punctured something."

"Not yet." Her tone was venomous. "Why have you been following me?"

"I heard you're tracking a bunch of machines that's been terrorizing the area. I'm supposed to be gathering intel on them for the Resistance, and I thought it would be eighty-five percent more productive if I traveled on the path you're taking."

She searched his face, seeking out the slightest lie in his admission, before rolling her eyes and withdrawing her sword. "You're an idiot."

He smiled. "A terribly charming one, I hope?"

She turned back to the direction she'd been traveling, not bothering to dignify that with a response.

He caught up to her. "Does that mean I can come with?"

"Do what you want," she said. "Just don't get in my way."

—

"So... what's your story?"

A2 cracked open an eye. She had been lounging in the crook of a branch, while 4S sat off to the side. It wasn't safe to initiate sleep mode on the ground, where anyone could happen across them.

"A sore subject, huh?" he said, when she didn't reply. "I guess you can say the same for myself."

That piqued her curiosity. "What do you mean?"

He ran a gloved hand through his hair. When his fingers reached the knot of his visor, he paused for several long seconds and untied it from his head. "I had friends up there."

She avoided his eyes, unwilling to see the emotion she would surely find, and stared out into the clouds. She was never the type to offer words of comfort.

"A2?" he said, tugging her back to the present. "Why do you keep fighting the machines? You've been gone from YoRHa longer than I have, and it doesn't even exist anymore. There's nothing to stop you from doing whatever you want." He made a motion with his hand. "Some of us even threw away our weapons in the Flooded City."

"Because I still have a duty."

_Because it's the only thing I have left._

He chuckled. "I suppose we do." He lowered his head. "I thought I could make myself useful by joining the Resistance, but now I'm not sure how I feel." He started to pick at the leaves, letting them fall to the ground below. Just when she thought he would end the conversation there, he said, "Is it really true? What happened on the moon? That the pods were behind everything? That humanity is extinct?"

"No." Hope lit his face, but she was quick to extinguish it. "The pods were just tools. The rest is exactly as you heard."

"Oh." He hunched his shoulders pensively.

She flicked a stray leaf that landed in her hair. "Don't ask questions you would rather not know the answer to."

"No, it's just that..." He fumbled for words. "It's a little hard to take in, you know?" His eyes fixed on her. "But I believe you."

She chanced a look at him, and she was trapped by how unguarded his gaze was, by how much he chose to lay bare. It was as though she were staring into a plane of glass. Suddenly, she felt very shy.

 _Ridiculous_ , she thought. _You're acting ridiculous_. With a jerk of her head, she trained her eyes at the clouds, and the air receded back into a comfortable silence.

—

4S was cacooned in the shade of a barrier, his knuckles bruised and his eyes bloodshot. He brought up a holographic screen with trembling hands, searching for the correct ID to attach to the transmission.

When he was finished, he fell back and closed his eyes. A dot on the screen blinked at him indifferently, waiting for the recording to start.

"You ever wonder why there aren't more male models?" He laughed. "Scanners, am I right? Always asking questions. I'm pretty sure in the two weeks we've spent together, tracking down the target, you're already sick of them. So how about I answer for you?"

He collected himself. "There was another squadron deployed in the Pacific, known as M002. They were designed around the likeliness of human males. You might have seen similar models before them, but it wasn't until M002 that YoRHa decided to truly test their capabilities. Suffice it to say, they were a failure. The survivors had their appearances—their memories—modified, before they were converted into Scanners."

He exhaled. "I came from that descent mission. From the moment I discovered the truth, I was obsessed with how much of me they changed. Who did I know on that island? Did I..."

A wan smile crossed his lips. "Heh. Here I am, rambling, while you're probably thinking about why I sent this. Actually, you're probably trying to figure out where I am so you can throttle me. The last time we saw each other, you were on the floor, and I was running. Not exactly how I wanted us to part ways."

His eyes slitted open. "I know you'll find it hard to accept, but I was doing it to protect you."

He inputted a sequence on the screen. "At the time of this recording, I've lured the machine inside the catacombs. It's trying to find me even now, but I have a plan. I guarantee the machine won't cause any more trouble, and you can run straight to the Resistance camp to collect your reward. I want to say, more than anything, that I'll see you there, but we both know that would be a lie."

A distant roar shook the walls around him. Knowing he was running out of time, the words spilled off his tongue like a sinner’s fervent confession. "There's nothing we can do about the past," he continued. "I know how helpless it all feels. I wish I wasn't about to become another death for you to put on your tally. But I want you to understand that, despite everything, I made a choice. In a strange way, I've realized there are still great things in this world. I'm glad that I didn't die on the Bunker or Atlantis, because I was able to see them. Because I was able to meet you."

He put a hand to his head. "God, that sounds embarrassing out loud. I guess... if there's one thing I want to convey while I still have time... don’t punish yourself for my decisions. Don't live because of what I lost. Don't live for anyone but yourself."

He waved a hand. "End transmission."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to mourn the time I spent when I first wrote this, the result of which was accidentally deleted from my Notes app. | This story was last updated on May 5, 2018.


	8. Aldebaran

A4 peered at her reflection in the mirror, while Merlot's squadron slept around her in the barracks. Two pools of iridescent blue stared back at her. For now. The edge of a scar could be seen just below her ear, the result of the Red Girls putting her back together. Her hair, once the same color as the snow outside, had turned black against her pale skin. The contrast always served to remind her that she was only a ghost of what she used to be.

It was almost time for her to return. She had hacked into as many androids as she could, whenever the opportunity struck. Although she hadn't been able to get to all of them, such as the Colonel, she was certain it was enough to cripple their forces. No one would be able to stop her from taking their maso to the island.

Except A2.

She was the only one who suspected her of planning something, but perhaps there wasn't much for A4 to worry about. A2 appeared to be so caught up in avoiding her that A4 doubted she'd noticed how she'd been sneaking around the fort. She should be glad for A2 to be acting distant at all, yet she couldn't help but be a little bothered by the fact. What's more, she couldn't understand why she took such pains to get under A2's skin, or why her chest seemed to tighten whenever A2 gave her more than a passing glance.

A4 almost found herself… jealous of her past self. Number 4 would never have been treated this way. A4 would find herself grinding her teeth whenever she would hear her old name on A2's lips. They were friends before, but now everything's changed.

Did she miss her?

Did she hate her?

Did she...

A4 put down the brush in her hand and stood up, making her way to the bed at the end of the room. She paid no attention to Merlot, snoring underneath the covers, and Syrah, kicking the blankets off in her sleep. She froze mid-step when A2 turned to face her but pressed on when she saw A2 was only having a dream. Now was her chance, she thought. She could hack into her and conceal the logic virus in her systems.

Her light footsteps echoed the tumultuous sound of her pulse. She reached for A2 before she stopped with a weak laugh. "I really… can't."

A2's eyes snapped open, and the fear of discovery flooded A4.

She quickly brought her hand back, her fingers bunching in her dress. "You're awake," A4 said.

A2 scowled. "So? What's it to you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a confession to make: I don't believe A2 and A4 fall in love by the end of "Remember Me." There's chemistry, sure, but there's just too going on for them to develop a genuine relationship. To me, when A2 brings her in for an embrace, they seem more like close friends with crushes on each other. However, I'd like to think that they now have the time for that relationship to develop into something deeper, especially since A2 has dealt with some of her past trauma, and A4 is no longer lying to her. | This story was last updated on April 26, 2018.


	9. Schedar

The Colonel looked up at the container sitting in the bowels of Fort Verne. For a moment, her eyes were lost in its glowing red hues, until she reminded herself that Gray was standing right next to her.

"I see you still carry around junk," Gray drawled, looking between the dragon and the material they've amassed. "Though I must give you credit. The number of machines in the area has gone down drastically. Considering where we are, you've done an excellent job of training your units to go above and beyond their capabilities."

She swiveled around in the empty room. The Colonel had ordered for the two of them to be alone. "Unfortunately, it's not enough," Gray went on. "Fort Verne has long been a tax on our resources. We've been doing just fine managing things from orbit. It's high time we shut this place down, and you utilize your skills elsewhere."

The Colonel stared after her, struggling to hold her tongue. "Even since the sixth orbital base fell, we've been the ones pushing the boundaries of maso experimentation," she contended. "We have been able to research what would be too dangerous to do anywhere else."

Gray pinned her with a look that was almost pitying. "These androids are damaged, Blue. Physically or mentally, it doesn't matter. The Army of Humanity has deemed their conditions to be so severe that it would be a waste to even return them for repairs. It would be much more efficient to make new units in their place. The only thing they might be useful for is scrap metal." She shook her head. "Yet you insist on coming up with inane justifications for them."

When the Colonel opened her mouth to object, Gray interrupted her with a sweep of her hand. "I know why you're really doing this. You want to create a home for every android who's survived a descent operation but doesn't quite fit into the Resistance." She canted her head. "Do you still feel resentment after the DKT squadron was disbanded? Have you developed abandonment issues you aggressively try to solve through other androids? Do you feel... lonely?"

The Colonel felt the skin around her eyes pinch at the corners. She was well-aware of how her head was stuck in the past, while Gray always looked towards the future. "You're not the only one with information," she said. "I know all about the new satellite they put you in charge of. The data you were given from Project YoRHa. The funds you received from _that_ organization. Need I go on?"

Gray pulled back. "One more month," she gritted.

The Colonel had the cheek to give her a tight-lipped smile before they were interrupted by the sound of an alarm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I was editing "Remember Me," I wanted to explain something I've hinted at but never confirmed. You see, as much as I try for subtlety, I can't. | This story was last updated on March 19, 2018.


	10. Alphecca

_It had only been a moment._

Droplets of water dribbled from the low-hanging branches of the wood, sending ripples across the murky pond. At the time, they found there was no way around it, and they decided there was no harm in something that only reached to their knees. They waded through the pond together.

_It had only been a moment before they realized their mistake._

Something rustled around 2B's legs. 9S had seen it first. He pushed her away, only for the vine to wrap around his waist. It dragged him down into the gurgling abyss, slapping water into her ruined dress. For one terrifying second, he slipped under the surface, but 2B caught his hand.

She pulled, biting unpleasant half-moon shapes into his skin, but the vine held him in place. In her head, 2B berated herself for sending the pods to scout ahead. A hail of bullets would have frightened the creature away.

"2B," he said, his face barely above the surface, "you have to let go."

Her knuckles went white with strain. "That's out of the question."

He tried for a smile. "You can't save me if you're sucked in, too."

Her thoughts raced to keep in time with her pulse. Panic began to seize her, forcing little gasps from her throat. She could feel his skin slide against hers. Splashes of water slipped between the cracks of her palm, loosening the connection between them. Her fingers curled tighter, uncaring if she drew red—

But he was gone.

2B fell to her knees, furiously trying to feel for them in the water, but her hands found dirt. For hours, she kept digging, until the ends of her fingers were scrapped raw. 2B couldn't bring herself to care, like the part of her that felt had been carved out entirely.

_It had only been a moment for them to take what was hers._

—

2B summoned Pod 042's touchpad. She'd been traveling for days, following any and all leads the creature left behind. It was another experiment of humanity, a remnant of the aliens. As it turned out, 9S was alive, but not in the way that she hoped.

He had sent her messages. He had spoken of running his hands between her silken hair, devouring her lips, and taking her until she writhed in pleasure. Other times, the letters were of a more disturbing nature, of him stripping skin from metal and coaxing blood from flesh. It was clear that while he had been kidnapped, the creature changed him.

Her fingers trembled over the map. She was afraid of meeting him again, of seeing how twisted he'd become and what would happen if she failed. She brought her hand to her chest to steel herself before returning her attention back to the map.

After pursing so many leads, she found the coordinates to the creature's lair. It was a misshapen castle built of vines, sitting atop a metallic pond. A boy in black clothing had been seen dragging androids and machines alike inside.

2B stood at the entrance of the castle. The air was permeated with the sickening sweet smell of peppermint and butter cookies. With a low murmur, 2B sent 042 and 153 away. The creature would sense her presence. They may have already known she was here. They would not lower their guard if she was not alone.

She strode forward, dread sinking as the castle sealed the entrance behind her, revulsion building as she passed the missing locals hanging unconscious from the ceiling.

At last she saw him, perched on a towering, slithering throne. A crown of thorns twisted into the white strands of his hair. They stared each other down in silence. His blue eyes had deepened into the dark color of wine, its influence just as intoxicating. His face betrayed nothing, devoid of compassion, but she could sense the savageness that simmered beneath the surface.

It was 9S, both familiar yet foreign.

"Let him go," she said. She held Virtuous Contract in her hand, drawing off its strength.

"2B," he exclaimed, "you've come to save me." He smiled, but it left her feeling cold. "Though, I had hoped for a better welcome. Not even a kiss for your damsel-in-distress?"

"Let him go," she repeated.

"I always thought you were beautiful, even more so in fury," he went on, his expression lost. "Like A2, one of my avenging angels. But I realize you're much more than that. They're too perfect, too stiff. To me, you're... human." His eyes grew alight. "Humans who were so alive yet so easily broken."

 _Broken._ He had savored the word. 2B suppressed a shiver. "Let him go."

He frowned. "Oh, right. You seem to be under the impression that I'm being controlled." He shook his head disapprovingly. "Didn't I tell you before, 2B? I don't need any virus to hold my hand."

She remembered. The side that's always been there, that had only shown its face once in her absence. "I don't believe you."

"Why? I thought you loved every part of me. I am 9S, after all, and no one else." He chuckled, splaying a hand beside his eyes. "Does this look like the logic virus to you?

She looked away. It wasn't exactly red, but— "No."

He shot up from his chair. "Then that proves it. If I can 'choose' to be good, nothing can stop me from doing the opposite."

"Why are you doing this, then?" 2B said, still in disbelief.

"I've seen the world in ways you could never imagine," he answered, descending down the steps of his throne. "The terminal has shown me so much. It's allowed me to be as unrestrained, as _alive,_ as I wish. I left the door open for you, so you can be awakened as well."

Her face hardened. "What makes you so sure I'll agree to that?"

He stalked forward, although 2B refused to budge. She wouldn't run from him, but her traitorous body began to feel stirrings of desire.

His lips curled in a knowing grin, well aware of the effect he had on her. "You haven't begun to see what I could tempt you with." With a snap of his fingers, he sent away her blade. She couldn't have hurt him, anyway. "Make no mistake," he said, tupping her chin. "I will have you, in every way."

His gaze raked over her, sending heat coursing beneath her skin. She worried her lip, aching to touch him, but stopped herself. Resisting would have been child's play for her past self, but being with 9S had softened her. All the longing and worry she had over the last couple of days came rushing to the surface.

She arched to him, grazed her fingertips down his sides, eliciting a groan. "I won't deny that," she murmured. "But you should know, Nines," she leaned in his ear to whisper, "I don't like to share."

She kicked his legs out from underneath him, his ass hitting the floor with a loud _thump._ He raised his head. "You are mine," she said.

The metallic pools around them curdled. For the first time since she arrived, his confidence seemed to waver. Slowly, he got up and retreated to the steps. "There is no one else in control, just me."

She followed. "You would lie?"

"Yes."

"Torture?"

"Yes."

"Murder?"

"I have done all that and more," he said. "This is what I am. Everything else was just a pretense."

"Now what did we say about being edgy?"

9S threw out a hand, sending the vines on the walls her way. They shredded her sleeves, but the attack hadn't been enough to seriously harm her.

"You've always been better than me." His eyes once again were obscured. "You've never relished any of my deaths. You've always seen redemption in everyone but yourself."

It was then 2B realized she had seen it before, the side that's always been there. It would show itself in glimpses of maniacal fascination, the eagerness to tear their enemies to shreds, and she would always pass it off. It was Number 9, she'd reason. Someone separate from himself.

_But what if he was right?_

"I tried to change, but I can't fight who I am," he said. "I thought if only you could see, if only you could experience what it was like." He smiled bitterly. "The way you are now... you deserve better."

2B stopped. "I thought you wouldn't put me on a pedestal." She marched up the steps. "Even until I died, no matter what I felt for you, I couldn't disobey my orders. I did relish your deaths, simply through the chemicals produced from my circuits. In some lifetimes, I never even tried to keep you at a distance. I manipulated you and your feelings toward me, knowing what was to come."

She cornered him until the back of his legs hit the throne. "I was jealous when A2 spoke to you at the temple. I didn't care if you got hurt when I was angry. Hell, I don't even stop to consider your opinion half the time." He opened his mouth as if to say something, but she didn't allow him a word. "I'm selfish, weak, and petty. Worst of all, no matter what horrible things you've done, whether you're good, evil or something else entirely, I love you."

She cupped his face. The strange color in his eyes flickered. "But I want you home," she said. She brought his lips close to hers.

_"Now."_

Before 9S could realize what was happening, 042 flew in from the side and assisted her into his mindspace. 9S cried out. The castle that held them prisoner trembled as the bombs, tacked to the load bearings by 153, detonated one after the other.

"Are the locals safe?" 2B asked her pod.

"Affirmative. All targets have been accounted for."

"Don't," 9S murmured.

2B only had so much time until her attack wore off. She lifted him in her arms, sprinting for the exit, as the castle came crumbling around them. She hurdled over vines, commanding 042 to fire left and right, until they were in the safety of the woods. They watched the castle collapse into the pond, severing the connection between the creature and 9S.

She laid him down on the grass. "2B?" he said, his eyes fluttering open. All the grays and blues she had come to know were right there. His expression twisted as the memories of what he'd done came flooding back. "Oh, god." He put his head in his hands. "It happened again."

"It's alright," she said. "You're safe."

He got up on his elbows, pushing himself away. "No, no," he said. "It's never going to stop."

2B couldn't deny the possibility. Still, she wrapped her arms around him, burrowing her chin in the soft strands of his hair, his breathing harsh against the fabric of her dress. When he flinched, she responded by holding on tighter. He was just like a deer, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. She could almost feel his weariness, his absolute terror, as if it were her own. It was difficult to figure out the right words in the face of these things, but she had to tell him something, if only to keep him there with her. "Then when it comes," she said, "I'll be there."

It was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to do something of a character study and break out of my comfort zone, but it ended up being completely indulgent _(coughs)._ Out of all the work I've posted, this has been the hardest for me to reread. The cringe is real. | This story was last updated on March 4, 2018.


	11. Unukalhai

_"Lock it down."_

_The Resistance members turned as Jackass shoved her way inside the base. More than a hundred of them had been organized by the Army of Humanity a few months prior, in an attempt to form a new kind of strategy for the war, and it showed. It was hard to believe that she agreed to fight alongside these numbnuts, until she remembered Rose._

_"What?" one of them said._

_"I said, lock the base down. There's a machine lifeform coming in from above."_

_"How the hell do you—"_

_She grabbed him by the head, and forced him to look at the speck moving through the mountains. "Are weapons aligned on the target?" she barked, releasing him. "Yeah? Then fuckin' fire already."_

_A series of flashes raced across the sky overhead. The machine dodged every single one, with all the ease and grace of a serpent. Jackass froze as it seemed to dive right for her. "Shit," she said, as the Resistance members around her leapt out of the way. "Shit, shit,_ shit _."_

_She held her breath as the machine pressed her back against the cliff wall. Its nostrils were flush against her face. Her hand fished for the detonator she always carried on her person, as her mind tried to make peace with the end._

_"Stop."_

_Jackass stared at the machine in bewilderment. Something moved behind its head. Her curiosity piqued when she heard the sound of it jumping off, and footsteps coming towards her. The machine stepped back to reveal an android she'd never seen before, flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder._

_"My apologies for the landing," she said. "I'm a special-ops unit that was sent to assist with the war effort."_

_Jackass widened her eyes a fraction of an inch as she recognized the letters on her neck. She heard bits and pieces of a combat weapon designed in the Country of Night, some rumors going as far back as five thousand and five hundred years ago._

_Jackass crossed her arms, tempering her excitement with skepticism. "And your name, Ms. Special-Ops?"_

_The android lifted her chin. "White."_

—

Beryl scrubbed her face over the faucet and looked up at the reflection in the mirror. Her pale green hair was framed by a round face. Water dripped from the contours of her eyes. _A stranger's eyes,_ she thought.

The door to her quarters slid open with a pop and she whipped around, her hands braced on the edge of the sink. "Oh, Morganite," she said with a laugh. "It's just you."

The pink-headed android rolled her eyes. "Come on," she said. "The Overseer is already here, and they're almost ready to launch the new units."

"Right," Beryl said. "I only need a minute to fresh up. I want to look my best."

Morganite groaned. "One minute, or I'm dragging you out."

When Beryl was finally alone, she knelt by the side of her bed and pulled out a large box. With a deft tap of her fingers, it whirred open. A timer was cushioned among the nest of tubes and wires. She spent a month hoarding all the materials she needed on the satellite. She had to thank 9S and 2B for trial-running the technology necessary to get where she wanted in the first place.

_"Beryl."_

"Coming," she said. After giving the box a quick once-over, she plucked the remote out and hid it between the folds of her uniform, before pushing the box back under her bed.

—

_Jackass placed a hand on her hip, scowling at White from underneath the tent. "I've received numerous complaints about you, White. Have you been pawning off your work to the Resistance members?" Jackass interrupted her as soon as she tried to speak. "Don't try to deny it."_

_"I wasn't going to," she said, with a scowl of her own. "Has it occurred to you that these 'missions' could easily be delegated to someone else? Let's not forget how half of them are entirely inappropriate." She opened her interface to read the list Jackass had given her. "Restocking the supply room? Escorting an android to the other end of the base? Researching the capabilities of a, quote-unquote, magnum dong?"_

_Jackass shrugged. "I came across it in an old database. Human stuff."_

_"That's not the point," White exclaimed. "Doing these tasks would be a waste of my capabilities."_

_Jackass felt her hackles raise. While she couldn't say that she wouldn't try to pawn off the work herself, she had had enough of her high and mighty attitude. "Sorry I don't have anything exciting for you, Ms. Special-Ops, but you're going to have to accept that sometimes there are slow days. If you really want to do something useful, why not tell me more about your dragon?"_

_"You don't have the clearance for that."_

_"For science."_

_"No."_

_"We're never going to win the war if we don't share our resources," Jackass argued, although she had more self-serving than altruistic reasons in mind. "Aren't we on the same side? What's so bad about letting me know?"_

_White hmphed at her. "That's also classified."_

_"Okay," Jackass said through her teeth. "That's it." She pounced on her. White shrieked as her fingers caught perfectly on her sides, giving her pause._

_"Are you ticklish?" Jackass said, a strange look in her eye. There were a couple androids that had it in their programming. It was a fault in the way their nerves were structured, leaving them sensitive in certain areas._

_"No," White said, even as a shade of pink dusted her cheeks._

_Jackass smirked. "Now this is going to be fun."_

—

Jackass filed into the auditorium as more androids were herded in behind them. The Overseer stood on an elevated platform. Her name was Gray, or so she'd heard. She wondered if she had known White, if she had been friends with her, if she even cared that she was dead.

It didn't matter. Whatever White might have meant to her, Gray was complicit in sweeping YoRHa under the rug. No matter what happened, they would carry out the roles they were made for, like obedient dogs.

When the room settled down, the Overseer started her speech. It was the same spiel about the humans on the moon, the aliens from space, and their creations fighting their battles. Jackass hated it. She always hated it. There was nothing more pathetic than throwing themselves at the feet of heroes, martyrs—fools who didn't know when to quit, where purpose and sacrifice were tightly intertwined.

She knew, in some way, that made her a coward. Perhaps that was why she was here now.

“I would like to give special thanks to the Council of Humanity, for leaving a generous donation—"

The first blast struck deep from the belly of the satellite. The other androids looked around as the noise grew louder in succession. Jackass relished the surprise that registered on the Overseer's face before the ceiling came tumbling down.

"White," Jackass said as the detonator fell to the floor. "This is for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess you could say this is both an epilogue and a prequel. I blame [ask-yorh4](https://ask-yorh4.tumblr.com/post/167363568644/9s-n-not-that-i-would-know-or-anything-2b) and [Kiloueka](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11933163) for the magnum dong mention. | This story was last updated on March 8, 2018.


	12. Angetenar

WHAT LIES BELOW | TEN

_A2 had realized it first. "They're here," she yelled, unsheathing her sword._

_153's speaker popped from its compartment. "Alert: Hostiles approaching."_

_The plants unearthed themselves from the ground and snaked toward them. 9S began shouting orders to 153._

_So this was it. This was the creature._

The final boss. A master of the environment, the elements, and the very world itself.

"Yoko Taro."

WHAT LIES BELOW | SEVENTEEN

_006 continued to hammer at the door. 2B ignored it. Everything had fallen away as she approached 9S. His shoulders were despondent, his face etched in sorrow._

_2B breathed in and said the only thing she could. "Do it."_

_They waited. In that singular moment, they were both in perfect accord._

Because get it? Accord? Huehuehue...

I'll show myself out.

WHAT LIES BELOW | EIGHTEEN

_Then there was a spark. Not one of romance or passion—which, don't get her wrong, she had plenty of—but it felt more like a connection had been established. She splayed a hand against his chest to push herself away. As much as she wanted to stay like this, she had to address it. She looked up at the mouth of the pit, where her attention was drawn, and found tears as she saw the speck of a pod descending above them._

2B started towards 042, shoving 9S to the dirt for good measure. Jackass, A2 and Pod 153 were floored as she ran off towards her pod, her arms spread wide. "It's you," she cried. She spun him around in her embrace, her chest racked with sobs. "It's always been you." She stopped to press her lips against the cold steel of 042's exterior. It had taken her a long time, but she finally realized who truly mattered.

REMEMBER ME | SIX

_She ambled over to the bridge and threw open the door with a kick of her foot. "Hey, are we any closer to land yet?"_

_The captain paid no attention to her from his position at the helm. His eyes were trained forward, and his hands were gripped firmly on the wheel._

_A fiber in her jaw ticked. There may have been a more delicate way to go about asking, but A2 was not in the mood for formalities. "Are you listening to me?" She reached for his shoulder. "I said, are we any closer to—" She took one look at his face and breathed, "Shit."_

_Staring back at her, beneath the rim of his cap, were eyes awash with red._

A2 threw her arms up, both her elbows at a perfect ninety-degree angle. "Nope," she said, while backing away. "Nope, nope, nope, _nope_." She then spun around on her foot and dashed for the side of the ship. _To hell with it_ , she thought. _I'm out_. Clearly, Pascal and A4 could take care of themselves. After leaping into the ocean with a splash, she proceeded to make a freestyle stroke for Japan.

REMEMBER ME | EIGHTEEN

_A2 became motionless when she saw someone up ahead, her eyes slitting as she recognized A4. She thought about calling out to her, but was quick to change her mind when A4 ducked into the shadows. A2 did the same. Watching._

_A crash came from around the corner of the main building, sending the guards to investigate and A4 slinking inside._

_Twenty feet separated A2 from the door. She only needed to close the distance, but she was kept in place by an unforeseen force._ Don't go, _she thought._ Don't ruin this.

_Although A2 knew tracking her might just destroy whatever was between them, she pried herself from her hiding spot and darted for the main building. Her pulse beat erratically in her ears. A2 couldn't see her, yet she kept following the pull she felt, leading her down familiar floors, familiar corridors._

_A puddle splashed at her feet. She looked down at her reflection, and met glassy eyes that were not her own._

_The guards were dead._

_Her tongue was leaden in her mouth. She hastened into the room, the truth hitting her with a sick drop in her stomach, and drew short when she saw A4._

Something popped on either side of A2, and she could have sworn she shot five feet in the air. "What the fuck?" she exclaimed, covering her ears.

The lights switched on, revealing all the other androids of the fort. "Happy birthday," they said.

"What," A2 said.

A4 took her hand. "Pascal heard you say that your activation date was coming up, so we prepared all this while Merlot and her squadron kept you busy."

"But-but the guards," A2 stammered.

"Slipped on the punch," came a voice from behind her. "Some idiot must have dropped it on the way in. Knocked us out real good. You could have helped, you know, instead of letting us lie there."

"Oh," A2 said quietly. "Sorry."

The crowd parted for the Colonel. "I wouldn't normally approve, but there were many who petitioned for it." She arched a brow. "It would seem that my units have taken a liking to you."

Merlot, Syrah, and Pascal came through the door with a bang, still drunk as ever.

"Now let's party!" A4 said, which was met with a round of rambunctious applause.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, among the many timelines that exist in this convoluted franchise. | This story was last updated on March 3, 2018.


End file.
